Networking is an important part of your job-search. Approximately 75 to 95 percent of job openings are not advertised in sources such as the newspaper or Internet. You can find out about these “hidden” jobs only by talking to other people or networking.

Networking includes everything from a casual conversation with a friend to an informational interview with a potential employer.

Networking doesn’t mean asking everyone you run into for a job. It means building relationships so that you can comfortably ask for ideas, advice, and referrals to those with hiring power.

This guide takes you through the steps of building a network and how to make your network help you with your job search.

Volunteering

Volunteering for a charity, community organization or professional group is a good way to meet potential business and employment contacts. Volunteering is also often recognized as valuable work-related experience by employers.

Career Cruising
Look under “Employment”: Work Search – Networking StrategiesAvailable from the VPL Digital Library | Explore our Digital Library pageNOTE: You can access this database from a Library computer. If you are using a computer from outside the Library, you will need a Vancouver Public Library card to login to this database.

Preparing your Networking “Toolkit”

Networking Business Cards

Networking business cards have the look of a traditional business card. They provide your career and contact information to people you meet in social and professional situations.

Your networking business card can include:

Name

Credentials

Career focus

Contact information: telephone number, email, website

Summary of skills, qualifications, experience and background (on either the front or reverse of the card)

Sample networking card:

Career Cruising
Look under “Employment” – Work Search: Creating a Calling Card.

Elevator Speech

An elevator speech is a brief introduction you can state in the time it takes to share an elevator ride with someone new. It’s a very short summary of who you are, what you do, and even what you’re looking for.

While there is no exact formula, the point is to be memorable in a positive way.

Further details on how to create and deliver an elevator speech available at:

Types of Networking

Informal

Informal Networking uses your existing network of friends, family, neighbours and other acquaintances to help develop employment opportunities. It may involve a casual conversation at a social event or an everyday encounter with a friend.

During your job search, you may want to direct your conversations by asking questions and listening for useful information about potential employment opportunities.

Keep your conversations casual and don’t feel pressured to turn everything into a job pitch. If someone looks like they might be a good contact to pursue further, ask how you can keep in touch.

Informational Interviews

An informational interview is a brief meeting with someone who is employed in your field, position or organization of interest. Informational interviews may help you:

Get a personal perspective on occupations and organizations of interest

Obtain advice and information that may help you target your job search efforts

Practise interviewing and networking skills

Hear about opportunities before they are posted

Broaden your network

An informational interview is about information and advice. It is not about calling someone up and asking them for a job.

Although not all requests for information interviews are successful, many people respond very positively to the initiative and courage it takes to ask for an information interview.

Cold Calling

Cold calling involves contacting organizations of interest and attempting to meet with the person who has the decision-making power to hire you. A cold call is a telephone call to someone you do not know, even though the employer has not advertised a job opening.

Cold-calling prospective employers can seem scary, but career experts say it can be a powerful tool.

Some people prefer to make initial contact by sending a letter of introduction first (also known as broadcast letter), followed by a telephone call.

How to Prepare for and Make a Cold Call

Prepare a list of companies to contact through company research.(Tip: Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library has a great collection of Company Directories which are a good source of company information)

Find out the name of the hiring manager by making a preliminary phone call to the company to obtain this information

Have an outline of key points you want to discuss with an employer before you make your call

Have a copy of your resume and any information about the company that you are contacting in front of you

Always state your name and the purpose of your call

Keep the calls brief – less than 3 minutes is best

Tell the potential employer about your qualifications first, this way you are giving them something that they can value

If the manager seems interested, ask if you can meet to discuss possibilities in more detail.

If the manager can’t meet with you, ask if you can send in your resume.